TURKEY – The water dripped constantly, seeping between the many cracks in the pile of debris cobbled together to act as shelter for the family of nine after the Turkey earthquake of 2023. As a Turkey earthquake survivor, Emel listened to the dripping with growing anxiety. Soon, the water would find its way to her and the rest of her family, as it always did. Then, the coughing and sickness would likely follow.
To 10-year-old Emel, life seemed like a portrait of hardship defined by loss, displacement, and rejection. Born into a Syrian refugee family, she spent much of her childhood caught in a relentless cycle of uncertainty and survival. Her parents, once successful professionals in Syria, fled the war in 2014 with nothing and settled in Turkey. With no other options, they survived by collecting scrap metal.
Bullied and Taunted for Being a Refugee
At her new school, Emel quickly learned that being a refugee made her different, and in the eyes of many, unwelcome. The taunts came first, sharp words whispered behind her back. Soon, the pushing and hitting began. Teachers, who should have been her protectors, turned a blind eye, offering no help, no encouragement—only indifference.
She longed to fit in, to find a friend, but the message was clear: she didn’t belong. Day after day, she sat in silence, shoulders hunched, eyes fixed on her desk. She had already lost her home— and now, she was losing herself. She stopped believing that anyone cared about her at all.
The Daily Hardship of a Turkey Earthquake Survivor
Then, the earthquake in southeast Turkey turned their pitiful house to rubble, leaving the family homeless once again. For eight months, Emel’s family lived in a makeshift shelter of old wooden doors and debris. Every time it rained, the water poured in, and the endless drips would begin again. It felt as if hope itself had crumbled, just like their home.
But kindness has a way of shining brightest in the darkest of places. Emel and her family, like many a Turkey earthquake survivor, received life-changing support from friends like you. A team from our Orphan’s Promise Borders of Love outreach found Emel’s family and helped them relocate to a camp made of safe container homes—a place where they could finally feel secure.
But perhaps the even greater gift was that it was a place where Emel felt seen. Three times a week, she and her siblings attend classes at our Borders of Love community center, a safe space designed to bring learning, creativity, and joy to displaced children. Thanks to friends like you, we provide English lessons, arts and crafts, and games, giving Emel a chance to explore a world beyond the unimaginable hardships she has faced. Now, Emel and her siblings celebrate birthdays, receive warm meals and clothing, and experience the love they had long lived without.
Your Kindness Changed Everything
Once a child who blended into the background, Emel is now a vibrant part of a new portrait painted with hope—all because supporters like you care about at-risk children and provide them with safe spaces and educational opportunities. She has friends. She laughs. She raises her hand in class. Emel has become a leader among her peers and dreams of becoming an English teacher to help children just like her. No longer does she feel like an outsider weighed down by rejection. Through your kindness, Emel is finding the gift of belonging.
Emel’s story has become a portrait of promise. Her desperate loneliness has been replaced with the excitement of learning, playing, and splashing in water on hot summer days—simple pleasures that once seemed impossible. The Turkey earthquake survivor who once lived in the shadows of war and disaster is now thriving and looking forward to a future filled with hope and opportunity.
We are deeply grateful for your generous hearts that make transformations like this possible. Your compassion is more than a gift—it is a quiet and confident voice that speaks through the dark, telling children like Emel, “You matter.” Emel’s future is no longer defined by what she has lost, but by the promise of what’s to come, and that’s thanks to you.
